Creative Destruction
by Bill Kowaleski
| Cast of Characters and Species | Table of Contents |
Chapter 45: Divide and Conquer
The meeting began with loud gasps. As Salesman-Drake trotted to the front of the room, forty of the world’s most powerful oil and coal executives stared in shock, turned to whisper to each other, then sat quietly, eyes forward in anticipation.
James McDermott joined the Salesman by the speaker’s podium, standing in front of it while Salesman-Drake, too short to be seen above the podium, stood to the side where he would be speaking.
“If I could have your attention,” began McDermott. “Beside me is Salesman-Drake from Cygnus Prime. You may address him as Drake if you’d like, though his fellow Cygnians always call him Salesman. Through a translating chip, he’ll be explaining the offer that the Cygnians have developed for you. Please listen before asking questions. This offer requires some explanation.”
McDermott turned to the Salesman, swept his hand toward him, then walked back into the comfortable seating area of the UZPG conference room, choosing one of the empty plush captain’s chairs that all the guests were using.
Salesman-Drake’s eyestalks quivered, indicating a nervousness that none in the audience could identify, since they knew little about Cygnians. He gathered his thoughts and then connected his mind to his prepared text.
“Thank you all so much for coming today. Galactic Fusion Generators is excited about our venture into this new market, a market where both we Cygnians and you humans can cooperate for our mutual advantage.
“I know many of you believe that the technologies we offer you will destroy your businesses and bankrupt you. Others may believe that we have ulterior motives, perhaps to make you so dependent on us that we can control you or even invade your planet. I’ll be addressing both of those concerns today. I know you are busy people, so let’s get started.
“We are bringing a tremendous portfolio of new technologies to you: fusion power, anti-gravity, advanced battery technology that will obsolete all fossil fuel vehicles, manufacturing automation far in advance of Earth standards, medical technology from the Eridanians that will cure most of your diseases and allow you to live two hundred years, and, the greatest of all these gifts, altverse travel, which will allow you to travel among the planets as you trade with 51 different species.
“If we simply introduced all these in the same way as we have introduced the fusion generators in Africa, then, yes, I would agree with you: your businesses would quickly go bankrupt. So, we would like to propose that all of your organizations become distributors for our products, and ultimately manufacturers too, since you will soon be able to use our automated manufacturing technology to build factories and all the things that we will give to you.
“We will let you decide which products you’d like to sell, how you’d like to divide up your various markets, and what prices to set. We’ll provide products plus the underlying knowledge that will allow your scientists to reproduce our technology here on Earth. That way you will not be dependent on us. You can use the knowledge we provide as you prefer.”
Manuel Lopez Guevarra of Petroleos Venezuela had been fidgeting in his seat almost from the start. Now he burst out of it and shouted, “What’s in it for you? Why give these things to us? What’s your angle?”
McDermott stood and said, “Mr. Guevarra, please allow the Salesman to explain his proposal before asking questions.”
Salesman-Drake rose to his hind legs and pointed one of his cylindrical fingers at Guevarra, evoking more gasps from the attendees. “Sir, you ask questions that any predator species would ask. Your brains are filled with suspicions, intrigues, and insecurities. But our goal is simple. We need metals from your solar system with which you will pay us for these technologies, that is all.
“Having altverse technology allows you to apply for full membership in the League of 51 Worlds. If you are accepted, controls will be implemented that will effectively end your capacity to wage war with League members and yourselves. This enforced peace would remove our fear that you could become a danger to the League if you discovered altverse technology independently.”
The head of the Russian Federation’s State Energy Ministry rose and asked, “But how would we divide all of this up?”
Salesman-Drake responded, “That is not our concern. We will provide you with detailed lists of products and technologies with associated prices in terms of metal ores. Any of you may purchase anything on the list from us.”
Even the Salesman could see that his last statement had generated considerable consternation in his audience. He sensed competitive and suspicious emotions thick in the air. It was time to hit them with one last shock.
“Some of you may be aware of the attack on our facility in Botswana,” he began. “Those who ordered that attack are sitting in this room right now, and we are well aware of who you are. You have been wondering just what you destroyed and if any Cygnians were killed. We know you intended to kill as many of us as possible.”
The room filled with hushed gasps. Mr. Guevarra shouted at the Salesman, “You know only what a traitor told you! We will kill him eventually.”
“No, Mr. Guevarra,” said the Salesman, “you will not. Nor will you succeed in damaging our facilities. Do you want to know what you damaged? I have a video to show you now.”
The room darkened and a video began. The camera panned across the twisted wreckage of the Potemkin-village factory while the Salesman narrated.
“As you see here, there is only a façade, the interior is empty. And now, as the camera moves, you see the flimsy superstructure. You destroyed a model. And you killed no one.”
The room had become very silent. The Salesman pressed his advantage. “There is also the matter of a murder attempt on James Martin. We know all about that, also. Just that one crime would be enough to have you all executed. Add that to your criminal attempt to kill us in Botswana, and you have quite a long list of capital crimes.”
The fear on Gueverra’s and the other plotters’ faces was obvious to all now. The Salesman had effectively outed them.
“I see why we were checked for weapons upon entering now,” said Gueverra through clenched teeth. “I would very much like to shoot you dead at this moment!”
“The thing I like about you, Mr. Guevarra,” said the Salesman. “Is your transparency. No duplicity from you, sir! Your determination to kill Cygnians is right there for all to see.”
McDermott rose from his seat and walked to the front of the room. “The issue here, is the proper application of justice,” he said in a calm, steady voice. “If we turn you conspirators over to your respective governments, you’ll all walk free with no punishment whatsoever. What you do after that I’d rather not contemplate. If we turn you over to Botswanan justice, you’ll buy your way to freedom. So, Cygnian justice is the way to go here.
“I’ve already called for a contingent of Cygnian police to come here and take you to their prison planet for processing. Just sit tight a few minutes, and they’ll be here.”
Counting Manuel Lopez Guevarra, there were six conspirators in the room. They looked anxiously at each other. Guevarra stood and shouted, “They have no jurisdiction here! I am walking out that door now, and I advise the rest of you who are involved in this to follow me.”
McDermott sighed and smiled. “Well, then, just go ahead and do that Mr. Guevarra.”
His voice tinged with sarcasm, McDermott added: “And have a nice rest of your day.”
All six conspirators stood and walked toward the two exit doors. They filed out silently and quickly. When they were gone, McDermott laughed loudly.
“Don’t worry, everyone,” he said. “We had altverse tunnels set at the doors. We used a feature that allowed them to appear to anyone walking through them that they were walking into and down the hallway outside this meeting room. But instead, when they reach the end of that false hallway, they will be on the Cygnian prison planet.”
“What is this prison planet?” someone asked.
“A planet about fifty light years from here, where they’ll have comfortable quarters,” said McDermott. “And good, basic food will be brought in for them regularly. I made sure of that. But they’ll have no contact with any human beings other than themselves for the rest of their lives.”
The remaining attendees murmured among themselves for several minutes.
When the room finally became completely quiet, the Salesman concluded his presentation. “I’m sorry that you who remain here had to see that. But, at the same time, you should be very happy. You are the chosen few who will have an inside track on the most incredible portfolio of new technologies that your planet has ever known. We will be contacting all of you within a day with further details. Thank you for coming.”
Once everyone had left, the Salesman directed his thoughts to McDermott, saying, “They will fight for years about who gets what, don’t you think?”
McDermott smiled. “Oh yeah, no doubt about that. It’s every man, woman, and child for themselves now!”
Copyright © 2019 by Bill Kowaleski
